Peggys Cove search called off

Thesearch for a man swept off the rocks at Peggys Cove, N.S., has been called off.

Search and rescue officials say Coast Guard vessels stopped looking for the man late Sunday afternoonafter failing to find any sign of him almost 20 hours after he was reported missing.

RCMP officers continued to search the coastline near the famous tourist destination south of Halifax for a few more hours but ended the operation as darkness fell.

The 28-year-old was walking on the rocks in front of the lighthouse with a group of friends, including his girlfriend, around 6:15 p.m. Saturday when heand another man went for a closer look at the surf. A local webcamappears to show the group walking past the iconic lighthouse.

RCMP said they received a call at 6:21 p.m. reportinga man was in distress after a large wave came up, knocked him over and pulled him into the water.

"He went into the water and was yelling for help," Staff Sgt. Gerald Grobmeier said Saturday. "[There is] a lot of wind, extreme rain, very dark. The rocks are extremely slippery, extremely dangerous at this time."

Grobmeier said two RCMP officers were quickly on the scene and went to the rocks to look for the man. One slipped into the water and hurt himself, and the other officer dived in after him. Both were pulled out by the fire department.

Stormy weather and swells more than three metres highhampered the search for the man Saturday night.

The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre,the Coast Guard, RCMP and fire department operated anextensive air, water and ground search well into the night, but searchers found no sign of the man.

The weather continued to be a problem Sunday morning,with heavy rain and thick fog creating challenging conditions for searchers.

The man was from the area and his distressed family watched the rescue attempt at Peggys Cove, Grobmeier said.

There are several signs at Peggys Cove warning that waves can pose a danger to people who get too close to the edge.